Cell assay device

ABSTRACT

This invention encompasses porous microchambers which contain cells and permit liquid to flow in and out of the chamber while retaining cells within the chamber. These porous microchambers serve as disposable devices for placing cells in a microflowchamber so that properties of the cells within the porous microchamber can be measured.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/836,991,filed Feb. 14, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 07/532,571, filed Jun. 4, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No.5,104,804, issued Apr. 14, 1992.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is in the field of microphysiometers and, in particular,it relates to single-use disposable devices and reagents, and reusableperipheral parts, used in conjunction with a microphysiometer.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art describes cups which have a filter membrane on the bottomand such cups are usable for filtering and grouping cells on the innersurface of the membrane ("Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology",Edited by Barbara B. Mishell and Stanley M. Shiigi, University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, Editorial Consultants: Claudia Henry and Robert I.Mishell, University of California, Berkeley, Published by W. H. Freemanand Company, San Francisco, Copyright 1980, pp. 37, 40, 43, 61, 62, 63and 64). Also of interest are silicon electrodes for use in microflowcells described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,550; 4,737,464; 4,741,619;4,704,353 and 4,519,890. These patents are incorporated herein byreference.

Further prior art takes the form of commercially-available single usevessels for the culture of living cells. In general, because of theextreme sensitivity of living cells to the chemical and physical natureof their environment (including potential problems with infection bybacteria, contamination by endotoxin or by cleaning solutions), it ispreferable to use culture vessels that have been manufactured undercarefully controlled conditions and then thrown away rather than cleanedand recycled. Although commercially-available single-use vessels takemany forms, including bottles, tubes, and single or multiwell covereddishes, the closest commercially-available prior art items are allessentially manufactured versions of the design described in the firstreference given in the previous paragraph (specifically pages 61, 62,63, 64 of that reference). Manufacturers of such items include CostarCorp., Cambridge, Mass., (product name: Transwell) and Millipore Corp.,Bedford, Mass., (product name: Millicell).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic of components of the device ofexample 1;

FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional schematic of the microflowchamber;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device showing the springloading mechanism;

FIG. 2a is a cut-away top plan view of 2;

FIG. 2b is a bottom plan view 2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing integral spacer means;

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view showing integral spacer means;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a bacterial indicator device;

FIG. 4a is a capsule of porous membrane material containing cells;

FIG. 5 is the effect of carbonyl cyanide m-nitrophenylhydrazine (CCCP)on 3T3 cells;

FIG. 6 shows the effects of ethanol on P388D-1 cells; and

FIG. 7 shows continuous monitoring of adherent and non-adherent cells;

FIG. 8 is a plot of acidification rates verses time for P388D-1 cells ina discontinuous collagen matrix;

FIG. 9 is a semilog plot of acidification rates verses time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention encompasses porous microchambers of which at least partof the chamber wall is constructed from a porous material such thatfluids and agents contained therein can enter the porous microchamberwhen placed in a flowing stream, but cells cannot escape.

One embodiment of the invention provides for convenient assembly (orclosure) of the microchamber, containing cells of choice, prior to usein the microphysiometer. In this embodiment, rigid inner and outersleeves covered at one end with a porous membrane, together with spacingmeans, are fitted together such that when the inner sleeve is fullyinserted in the outer sleeve, the membranes are separated by a spacingmeans. Thus, the spacing means and the inner and outer membrane form amicrochamber having living cells trapped within. The sleeves are adaptedfor holding the microchamber containing the cells adjacent to a siliconelectrode that forms one wall of a flat microflowchamber. Cells areretained within the internal cavity of the porous microchamber whileliquid is permitted to flow through, above, between, and below themembranes and around the cells. (See FIG. 1). The principal direction offlow of the liquid is parallel to the plane of the membranes and thesilicon surface. Changes in the media surrounding the cells (such as pHchanges) can be measured by the silicon electrode. Design objectivesinclude (a) maximizing cell volume/medium volume ratio to increasemeasurement sensitivity, (b) optimizing exchange rate of flowing liquidto flush out spent medium and/or introduce reagents, (c) minimizing thedistance that measurable species such as protons must diffuse to reachthe silicon electrode. The device of this invention provides aconvenient disposable reagent for use in a microphysiometer of the typedescribed in U.S. Ser. No. 04/694,469, now abandoned, assigned to thesame assignee as this application and incorporated herein by reference.

In another embodiment of the invention, certain cells, such as bacterialspores, would be trapped between two membrane discs that are welded orstuck together at their edges to form a preassembled package that couldbe dropped into a microphysiometer flow chamber. Use of such a devicewould include, but not be limited to, validation of sterilizationprocedures; the preassembled spore package would be used as a biologicalindicator (BI) included in a load of items to be sterilized. In afurther improvement of the BI for use in the microphysiometer, feed andwaste lines would be firmly attached to the spore package, as well asfilters to prevent entry of contaminating microorganisms from the feedline and the waste line exit. Thus, cells encapsulated in porousmaterial to form a porous microchamber can be placed in themicroflowchamber and advantageously studied in accord with thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Several embodiments of this invention are described with reference toFIG. 1. In its simplest embodiment outer sleeve 1 has an upper opening 2and a lower opening 3 which is covered with porous membrane 4. An innersleeve 10 has an upper opening 11 and a lower opening 12 which iscovered with a porous membrane 13. Inner sleeve 10 fits within outersleeve 1. A spacer means 20, in this instance a piece of plastic sheetmaterial which defines an opening 21, fits into the outer sleeve. Thus,when the inner sleeve is inserted into the outer sleeve membranes 13 and4 and the spacer means define a porous microchamber 25 in FIG. 1a. Inoperation a plunger 30 is inserted into the inner sleeve. Plunger 30 hasan inlet 31 and an outlet 32 and when the plunger is tightly pressedagainst the membrane 13 a seal is formed by ridge 33 on the plunger.Liquid can flow from the inlet in 31 above, through, between, and belowmembranes 13 and 4 and the through outlet 32. A silicon sensor of thetype described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,519,550, 4,737,464, 4,741,619,4,704,353 and 4,519,890 is adjacent and parallel to the outer surface ofmembrane 4 so that changes in the solution caused by the cells, such aspH, can be detected by the sensor 40. After measurement the inner andouter sleeve containing the cells can be discarded. A light emittingdiode 43 is positioned proximate an opening in the bottom of flowchamber casing 50 (FIGS. 1 and 1a).

In one embodiment spontaneously adhering cells are placed on the innersurface of membrane 4. In another embodiment the cells are deposited ina polymer matrix, such as a collagen sponge, in the opening 21 of thespacer means. The cells in the polymer matrix are then incorporated intothe porous microchamber 25. This embodiment is primarily used with cellsthat do not spontaneously adhere to porous membranes. While in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the spacer means is a separatelyinserted disk, the spacer means can also be integral with the inner andouter sleeve. In a third embodiment, a mixture of non-adherent cells anda preparation of discontinuous matrix such as particles of collagensponge with diameters typically 10-10000 times that of the cells theyare to entrap, are co-centrifuged into the outer sleeve before insertionof the inner sleeve to form the chamber.

The porous membranes are made of biocompatible porous polymer material.A preferred material is a porous polycarbonate membrane. The pore sizeof this membrane can be selected for use with different cells. Forexample, a small pore size (0.45 micron or less) is suitable for usewith bacteria, while a larger pore size (generally in the range 3-12micron) is chosen for eukaryotic cells.

The inner and outer sleeve may have a variety of shapes, for example,they may be circular, oval, square or rectangular. A preferred shapebecause of flow pattern considerations is oval. The inner sleeve fitsquite loosely into the outer sleeve. The sleeves are generally made ofrigid polymer material such as polystyrene. It is important that theouter and inner sleeves in combination are specifically structured tobring the microchamber and, in particular, the outer surface of themembrane of the outer sleeve in intimate contact with the detectingelectrode. It is also important that the plunger, together with theplunger ridge 33 and the spacer means form a seal to provide a leaktight compartment defining the microflowchamber 26 so that solution canbe flowed in and out of the microflowchamber 26 by way of inlet 31 andoutlet 32. Thus, the silicon electrode surface 40 forms one wall of themicroflowchamber 26 and the bottom surface of the plunger 34 forms thetop surface of the microflowchamber 26 within which a porousmicrochamber containing cells is removably placed. The microflowchamber26 has dimensions of between 10 nanoliters and 10 microliters. Althoughfor certain applications in which analysis of effluent from the chamberis desired and cells are trapped by a polymer matrix, longer volumes maybe preferable as long as the cell larger volume/flow chamber volume canbe kept high enough to attain sufficient pH change rate for measurement.The plunger is made of rigid, polymer materials and is spring loaded toensure a seal on the outer edges of the membranes. The inner and outersleeves and the spacer with or without the cell trapping polymer matrixare intended to be disposable items.

FIG. 2 illustrates a spring loading mechanism for maintaining theplunger in a position to form and seal the microflowchamber. The flowchamber casing 50 receives the outer sleeve 1. The inner sleeve 10 fitswithin the outer sleeve 1 and the plunger 30 fits within the innersleeve 10 sufficiently loosely that air readily exits from between thepieces when they are being positioned. Tubing 31 and 32 deliver solutionthrough the plunger to and from the microflowchamber 26. Spring 51 isattached to the top 52 of the plunger and the plunger retainer 53. Theplunger retainer means 53 has an opening 54 for retaining the plunger inthe down position by engaging post 55. A top view is shown in FIG. 2a.FIG. 2b shows a bottom plate 60 and silicon electrode 40. Hole 67provides for locking plate 60 to the flow chamber casing 50.

Turning plunger retainer 53 counter clockwise releases the plungerretainer and the plunger can be removed.

FIG. 3, and 3a illustrate other types of integral spacer means. In FIG.3 an integrally molded spacer 16 is on the bottom opening inner sleeve10 before membrane 13. In FIG. 3a the spacer 17 is integrally molded onthe bottom opening of sleeve 1 with membrane 4 on the outside of 17 andmembrane 13 on sleeve 10 on the inside of the spacer. Cells are placedon the inner surface of the membrane 4 of the outer sleeve 1 and thespacer 20 is inserted in the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve 16 isinserted to press against the spacer 20. The plunger 30 is pressed intothe inner sleeve to form a seal between the spacer and the membranes anddefine microflowchamber 26. The membrane 4 rests on the siliconelectrode 40 and fluid is pumped over the cells. Various cell affectingagents are contained in the fluid and the effects of those agents on thecells is measured by silicon electrode 40. The small volume of themicroflowchamber provides for extremely sensitive or responsivemeasurements.

FIG. 4 illustrates details of a porous microchamber intended for use asa Biological Indicator. In FIG. 4 spores 61 are trapped between upper 68and lower 70 porous membranes and a feed line or inlet 62 with in-linefilter 63 and a waste line or outlet 64 with in-line filter 65. Thefilter prevents bacteria from entering the microchamber 66 and is madefrom a material such as nitrocellulose or polycarbonate mesh materialhaving pore size of 0.2-0.45 microns, typically. In this embodimentliquid can be flowed through feed line 62 through the microchamber 66and out the waste line.

Spores are typically of the genus bacillus, such as bacillus subtillis,ATCC #9372, subspecies niger. FIG. 4a illustrates a capsule of porousmaterial 75 containing cells 76. This porous capsule fits in themicroflowchamber. The invention is further illustrated by the followingexamples.

EXAMPLE 1 Effects of Exogenous Cell-Affecting Agent on the Metabolism ofAdherent Cells in a Single Use Cell Assay Device as Measured with theMicrophysiometer

Adherent cells, sometimes referred to as anchorage-dependent cells,generally must be attached to a biocompatible surface in order tomaintain stable metabolic rates and increase in numbers. Adherent celllines have been used for a wide variety of studies, includingtoxicological, pharmacological and environmental applications. In orderto study whether adherent cells could be used in a single use cell assaydevice designed for the microphysiometer, the following procedure wasperformed. Outer sleeves 1 were placed in a 12-well tissue culture plateand Dulbecco's modification of Eagles medium (DME) containing 5% fetalbovine serum was added to the wells to 50% of capacity. The sleeves wereseeded with mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells (an adherent cell line) and theentire plate was incubated at 37° C. in 5% CO₂ for 2 or more days.During this time the cells settled to the bottom of the sleeves andattached to the porous membranes, whereupon they were allowed to grow toapproximately 70% confluency. At that time each outer sleeve was removedfrom the plate and spacer means 20 and inner sleeve 10 were placed ontop of the layer of living cells. This entire assembly was then placedinside the flow chamber casing 50.

It was important during assembly to prevent air bubbles from beingintroduced into the flow chamber. This is accomplished by the followingmeans: (1) a small amount of medium must be present on top of thesilicon electrode 40 so that when sleeve 1 is placed on top no air istrapped between the two surfaces; (2) a small amount of medium must bepresent on top of the layer of cells and the spacer means on top ofmembrane 4, and membrane 13 must be dry before inserting the innersleeve 10 into outer sleeve 1--care must be taken to visually ensurethat there are no bubbles trapped between the membranes or below thebottom membrane 4; (3) the inlet line 31 must be filled with medium anda small drop of medium should suspend under the plunger surface 34before introduction of the plunger assembly into the inner sleeve.Additional components were assembled as described in the text and shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, and the whole placed within the microphysiometer andmaintained at 37° C. DME without bicarbonate (having a buffer capacityof approximately 2 mM) was then perfused into the chamber andacidification rates were measured periodically as described by Parce etal. (Science 246, 243 (1989)). During the indicated period the DME wassupplemented with the metabolic uncoupler carbonyl cyanidem-nitrophenylhydrazine (CCCP; 5 micromolar M). The rate of mediumacidification increased while the cells were exposed and then returnedto the original acidification rate after replacement of theCCCP-containing perfusion medium with the original medium (See FIG. 5).

EXAMPLE 2 Immunobilization and Monitoring of the Metabolism ofNon-adherent Cells in a Continuous Polymer Matrix

Non-adherent cells (also known as anchorage-independent cells) generallydo not become anchored to adjacent surfaces. Nevertheless, it may bedesirable to use a microphysiometer to monitor the metabolism of of someof these types of cells for toxicological, pharmacological,environmental, etc., purposes. In initial experiments in whichnon-adherent cells were trapped between two membranes as described inExample 1, reproducible acidification was not observed and subsequentstudies revealed that the cells were swept to the sides of the porousmicrochamber away from the central detector by the movement of fluidthrough this volume. In order to prevent this loss of non-adherent cellsdue to convective movement of fluid, some restriction of cell movementwas deemed necessary.

A number of biocompatible sponge-like materials have been madecommercially available for use as hemostatic agents. These materials,include, but are not limited to, collagen, polyvinyl alcohol andpolyurethane. When applied to a surgical wound, these materials preventthe deposition of healing tissue. The tortuous network and provenbiocompatible nature of these materials might allow them to serve ascell immobilization matrices, and thus some of these materials weretested for their ability to immobilize non-adherent cells within themicrophysiometer. To accomplish this, a spacer means 20 was placedwithin an outer sleeve 1 containing a 5 pore polycarbonate membrane.Into the center hole of the spacer means a 6 mm diameter disk of polymermatrix, approximately 150 microns thick, was placed. The outer sleeve 1and polymer matrix were placed within a well of a 12-well microtiterplate. For experiments with mammalian cells, a spacer means 20 wasinserted in the outer sleeve prior to addition of the polymer matrix.One ml of a suspension containing either P388D-1 cells (non-adherentmammalian cells; approximately 10⁷ cells/ml) or Saccharomyces cereviseae(non-adherent yeast cells; approximately 10⁷ cells/ml) was pipetted intothe outer sleeve. The microplate was then centrifuged at 400×g for 5min., after which an inner sleeve 10 was placed within the outer sleeveand thus a second membrane was located above the cells trapped withinthe polymer matrix. The inner and outer sleeves, spacer means (whenpresent), polymer matrix and cells were inserted into the flow chambercasing 50 and acidification rates of the cells were determined asdescribed in Example 1. With the mammalian cell line stable metabolicrates were achieved for the duration of the experiment. In the yeastexperiment the rates of acidification determined with themicrophysiometer increased with time, indicating an increase in cellnumber within the microflowchamber for the duration of the experiment.Both of these experiments suggest that the cells were properlyimmobilized and their metabolism not adversely affected by theimmobilization procedure or the microphysiometer environment.

EXAMPLE 3 Effects of Ethanol on the Metabolism of a Population ofNon-adherent Cells

P388D-1 cells were centrifuged into a polymer matrix and theirmetabolism monitored with a microphysiometer as described in Example 2.After a period of adjustment to the microphysiometer environment duringwhich time the rates of acidification of the cells' environmentsstabilized, the DME with 5% fetal bovine serum was replaced with DMEcontaining 5% fetal bovine serum and 10% ethanol for a period of 5 min.Following the exposure to this potentially harmful formulation, themedium lacking ethanol was reintroduced into the microphysiometer andused to flush out the ethanol-containing medium. The metabolism of theP388D-1 cells was continuously monitored during the medium exchange. Ascan be seen in FIG. 6, this concentration of ethanol suppressed themetabolism of the cells, and this effect was not reversed by the removalof ethanol from the perfusion medium, suggesting that irreversibledamage may have been done to the cells immobilized in themicrophysiometer.

EXAMPLE 4 Long-term Continuous Monitoring of Both Adherent andNon-Adherent Cell Metabolism

Non-adherent (P388D-1) and adherent (NRK) cells were placed in each oftwo disposable cell assay devices in the manners described in Examples 1and 2 and placed within each of two cell chambers in a microphysiometer.The respective acidification rates of the two populations were measuredfor a period of over 12 hours while DME containing 5% fetal bovine serumwas perfused through the cell chambers. FIG. 7 represents a plot of theacidification rates of these cell populations, both of whichdemonstrated stable rates for the duration of the experiment. Thenon-adherent cell population required a period of adjustment to themicrophysiometer environment (approximately 2.5 h), during which theacidification rate for this population increased rapidly. This wasfollowed by a long period of less dramatic increase in the rate ofacidification, said state occurring for the remainder of the experiment.

EXAMPLE 5 Immobilization of Non-adherent Cells and Continuous Monitoringof Metabolism in a Discontinuous Matrix

A polymer matrix which would form around non-adherent cells and thusimmobilize them would eliminate the need to manufacture and positiondisks of precast polymer matrix. In order to test this concept, theprocedure described in Example 2 was performed with the followingmodification. No precast polymer matrix was inserted into the spacermeans 20. An collagen hemostatic sponge (Collastat, Vitaphore Corp.,Chicago, Ill.) was suspended in phosphate-buffered saline solution pH7.2) and finely chopped in a blender for six 3 sec. cycles. A volume(0.5 ml) of this suspension, which consisted of particles of collagenmatrix of various sizes, mostly in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 mm diameterand representing about 0.5% (v/v) of the suspension, was mixed with 0.5ml of a P388D-1 cell suspension (approximately 10⁷ cells/ml). Thecell/polymer suspension was centrifuged at 400×g for 5 min. into theouter sleeve 1 with a spacer means 20; an inner sleeve 10 was added andthis assembly was inserted into the flow chamber casing 50. Themetabolism of the cells as indicated by the rate at which they acidifiedtheir environment was monitored as described in Example 1. After aperiod of acclimation to the microphysiometer environment, stable ratesof acidification were measured for the duration of the experiment (FIG.8). These results demonstrate that the discontinuous matrix used in thisexperiment did immobilize the non-adherent cells and that cellularmetabolism was apparently not adversely affected by this procedure. Sucha discontinuous matrix preparation may thus be appropriate fordetermining the effects of cell-affecting agents as described in Example3.

EXAMPLE 6 Monitoring of Bacterial Growth and Metabolism in aMicrophysiometer

In order to measure the rate of acidification of the microflowchamberenvironment by a bacterial population, a number of modifications to theexperimental and single-use element design described in Example 1 weremade. A suspension of Bacillus subtilis endospores which had beenenumerated with a Petroff-Hauser direct counting chamber was centrifugedinto an outer sleeve 1 with a spacer means 20. The suspension had beendiluted to a density so that aprpoximately 250 endospores would bepresent in the microflowchamber when the microflowchamber was completelyassembled. No polymer matrix was present, the lower membrane 4 had apore size of 0.4 micron and the membrane above the endospores 13 had apore size of 0.22 micron. Instead of DME with 5% fetal bovine serum, acomplex bacteriological nutrient medium was substituted and the cellswere incubated at 27° C. in the microphysiometer. This example providesevidence that the invention has utility in the field of validation ofdesterilization procedures when used as a biological indicator. Nodiscernible metabolic rate could be observed until approximately fourhours after the experiment began, after which a rapid increase inacidification was seen. From a semi-log plot of these rates adetermination of the doubling time of B. subtilis in themicrophysiometer could be determined (FIG. 9).

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for removably placing cells in amicroflowchamber of a microphysiometer comprising:(a) an outer sleevehaving a top and bottom opening wherein the bottom opening of the outersleeve is covered with a porous membrane; and (b) an inner sleevefitting within the outer sleeve and having a top and bottom openingwherein the bottom opening of said inner sleeve is covered with a porousmembrane which together with the outer sleeve and the porous membrane ofthe outer sleeve define a porous microchamber capable of fitting withinthe microflowchamber wherein cells are maintained in the porousmicrochamber when liquid flows through or above or between or below theporous membranes and wherein the microflowchamber has a volume ofbetween 10 nanoliters and 10 microliters.